Thursday, January 5, 2012

Gals We Admire: Jessica Denomme

The PR-savvy Jessica Denomme uses her skills to research and report on trends in the modelling industry. Find out more about Denomme and get great advice from her on how to kick your own career into high gear.

Name: Jessica Denomme
Job Position Title: Associate Editor
Twitter handle: @jessdenomme

Describe your typical work day, from start to finish
A typical day as the Associate Editor of ModelResource.ca revolves around investigating the lives of Canada’s most beautiful and writing... A LOT!

I spend the majority of my time researching upcoming models or checking in on faces that we have featured in the past. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of Canada’s most in demand models and developing relationships with them is very important in this position. My role requires a lot of schmoozing and building a large network of industry professionalsit’s public relations, baby! On ModelResource.ca, we ensure that we are staying on top of who is doing what in the industry. If Jessica Stam is on the cover of VOGUE Italia, I can promise you that you will see if on ModelResource.ca!

In addition to staying on top of the who, what and where of fashion, I contribute to a bi-weekly blog titled "Yours in Fashion!" The purpose of my blog is to provide potential and current models with the information that they need to be successful in this industry. From "How to Dress for a Casting" to "How to Spot a Modelling Scam", I cover everything they need to ensure they are prepared for any situation. This is definitely one of my favourite things about my job.

ModelResource.ca also has a very active subscriber community and we are consistently receiving and answering our readers’ questions. The most popular questions we receive are regarding the legitimacy of agencies, which once again sends me back to researching. I’m like a fashion sleuth! It’s SO important that we are providing our readers with accurate and encouraging information and we want to ensure that we are only providing them with the best!

I usually finish off my day by contributing to ModelResource’s Twitter, Facebook or Wordpress accounts and generating publicity for the website and the models it features. I’m a social media junkie, so it’s not uncommon to find me tweeting up until the very last minute before I fall asleep!

When you were a kid, what did you want to grow up to be?
When I was a kid I wanted to be a ballerina! My parents signed me up for my first dance class when I was 5 years old and I danced competitively for my entire childhood. At the age of 12, I was training for over 30 hours a weekit was intense! My dream did come true however, as I danced professionally for three years before attending Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
What I enjoy most about my job is that I have the opportunity to meet and work with some of the coolest people in the industry! Whether I’m working on a photography project with Toronto-based hair and make-up artist Tami El Sombati or I am spending the day at a modelling convention with Canada’s Next Top Model: Cycle 1 winner Rebecca Hardy, some of my strongest friendships have been developed through this role.

What do you find to be the biggest challenge in your profession?
The biggest challenge in my profession is keeping the information we provide "fresh". While the industry is always changing, it can be difficult to come up with exclusive subject matter on our own. My solution? I read... A LOT! I have a subscription to virtually every Canadian and American fashion magazine and I spend hours every day scouring the Internet for information. I also love taking requests, so if you have any questions or recommendations please reach out to me at Jessica@modelresource.ca

Do you believe you had a "calling" for your profession?
Definitely! Prior to attending Conestoga College for Public Relations, I knew what I wanted to doI just didn’t realize that it had a name. In theory, I’ve been a publicist since the age of 10 when my cousin and I publicized our homemade jewelry in the community newsletteras if they actually let us put that in there? In terms of the journalistic side of the job, writing has always been an important part of my life. The difference now is that people actually want to read what I have to say.

What are the three most important pieces of career advice you would give to other Canadian Career Gals?
Fake it ‘til you make it. I remember walking into my first "big girl job" interview post-graduation. I was literally shaking in my Marc Jacobs pumps! I would have given up my first born and extensive headband collection to get that job. I was sitting in the waiting room of one of Canada’s largest communications companies and thinking "I am SO out of my league". Fortunately, I was able to pull it together before the companies VP of Publicity escorted me to her office and what do you know... I rocked the interview! Don’t let your nerves or fear of failure stop you from following your dreams. As much as I wanted to run scared to my dad who was waiting in the car, I stuck it out and it truly jump-started my career.

Network, network, network. You know what they say: It’s all about who you know! Regardless of your career path or the industry you work in, it is important to develop a strong network of business professionals that you can rely on. Always carry around your business card in case you run into a potential employer or client. Additionally, I store a PDF copy of my resume on my Blackberry in case it is requested on the spot—this is great for acquiring freelance work! Linkedin is also a great way to connect with others on a business level.

Pay your dues. You've got your degree; you’ve done your internships... so why don’t you have your dream job yet? Calm down, honey! We’re the generation of NOW and that is not always a good thing. It is important to remember that you cannot expect to become the Head of Purchasing for Holt Renfrew overnight. Benefit from those around you and learn from your colleagues. Patience is a virtue!

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